Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Concluding observations on the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of the Dominican Republic *

1.The Committee considered the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of the Dominican Republic (CEDAW/C/DOM/6-7) at its 1136th and 1137th meetings, on 12 July 2013 (see CEDAW/C/SR.1136 and 1137). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in CEDAW/C/DOM/Q/6-7 and the responses of the Government of the Dominican Republic are contained in CEDAW/C/DOM/Q/ 6‑7/Add.1.

A.Introduction

2.The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its combined sixth and seventh periodic reports, although they were submitted late. The Committee also expresses its appreciation to the State party for its written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the Committee’s pre-sessional working group and the further clarifications provided in response to the questions posed orally by the Committee.

3.The Committee commends the State party for its high-level delegation, which was headed by the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Alejandrina Germán, and included other representatives of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, as well as of the Central Electoral Board, the Chamber of Representatives of the National Congress and the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development. The Committee welcomes the constructive dialogue that took place between the delegation and the Committee.

B.Positive aspects

4.The Committee welcomes the new Constitution proclaimed on 26 January 2010, which enshrines the principle of non-discrimination and provides for the direct application of the international human rights treaties ratified by the State party.

5.The Committee notes with appreciation the legal framework adopted by the State party to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, in particular women and girls, and, in that regard, the establishment of victims of trafficking unit within the Office of the Attorney General, and of a special department to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of boys, girls and adolescents.

6.The Committee welcomes the adoption of Act No. 5-13 on disabilities in the Dominican Republic, which recognizes women with disabilities as right holders.

7.The Committee notes the adoption of the National Gender Equality and Equity Plan 2007-2017.

8.The Committee welcomes the ratification by the State party of the following international treaties:

(a)The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, in 2006, and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, in 2008;

(b)The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, in 2006;

(c)The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto, in 2009;

C.Principal areas of concern and recommendations

National Congress

9. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the obligations of the State party under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of government. It invites the State party to encourage its National Congress, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations between now and the State party ’ s next reporting process under the Convention.

Definition of equality and non-discrimination

10.While noting that the new Constitution enshrines the principle of non‑discrimination, including on the basis of sex (art. 39), and provides for measures to prevent and combat sex-based discrimination, the Committee is concerned about the persistence of multiple forms of discrimination against women in the State party, especially women of Haitian origin. The Committee notes with satisfaction the statement of the State party, during the constructive dialogue, that article 37 of the new Constitution, which protects life from the moment of conception, has been complemented with a revision of the Penal Code to protect women’s reproductive rights allowing abortion in cases in which the mother’s health is threatened.

11. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Ensure the effective application of the constitutional prohibition of sex-based discrimination;

(b) Introduce in its legislation the concept of multiple discrimination and ensure appropriate remedies for victims of such discrimination;

(c) Ensure that the current process of revision of criminal legislation on reproductive rights will be approved and that this legislative framework fully respects the Convention and does not bring a regression with its implementation.

Visibility of the Convention, the Optional Protocol and the Committee’s general recommendations

12.While noting with appreciation that the Convention takes precedence over national law (art. 74 of the Constitution), the Committee notes the absence of cases in which the Convention has been directly applied by the courts. The Committee also regrets that there are no specific measures to disseminate the content of the Convention and the Optional Protocol thereto among women, in particular those belonging to disadvantaged and marginalized groups.

13. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Ensure that women ’ s rights and, in particular, the provisions of the Convention form an integral part of legal education, thereby enabling judges to directly apply the provisions of the Convention and the Optional Protocol thereto and interpret national legal provisions in the light of the Convention;

(b) Develop a sustainable strategy to disseminate the content of the Convention, the Optional Protocol thereto and the Committee ’ s general recommendations among all stakeholders, and raise awareness among women, in particular women belonging to disadvantaged groups, about their rights under the Convention and the procedure for inquiry and communication, including the jurisprudence of the Committee under the Optional Protocol.

Legal complaint mechanisms

14.While noting with appreciation that article 72 of the Constitution provides for the remedy of amparo to protect fundamental rights, the Committee notes the absence of information on women’s access to this remedy. It expresses concern at the lack of information on the role of the Office of the Ombudsperson in connection with procedures for women to report cases of discrimination.

15. The Committee calls upon the State party:

(a)To raise awareness among women and the general public about the availability of the remedy of amparo to protect them from violations of their constitutional rights;

(b) To provide the Office of the Ombudsperson with adequate financial, technical and human resources to consider complaints by women of sex-based discrimination and other violations of their rights under the Convention.

Access to justice

16.The Committee commends the establishment of the Office of Women and the Family in the Supreme Court of Justice, but is concerned at the absence of information about the specific activities and results of the Office. The Committee notes with concern the existence of barriers to women’s access to justice, such as legal costs, the limitation of legal aid to criminal procedures and the lack of programmes for the protection of women victims and witnesses. The Committee is further concerned about the lack of effective remedies for victims to bring complaints in cases of sex-based discrimination.

17. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen the financial resources of the Office of Women and the Family in the Supreme Court of Justice so that it may perform its functions;

(b) Allocate adequate resources to facilitate access to legal aid and enable women without sufficient means to claim their rights in all areas of law, including in civil and labour law disputes;

(c) Ensure that effective remedies are in place for women to bring complaints of sex-based discrimination.

National machinery for the advancement of women

18.The Committee recognizes the efforts made by the State party in building a national machinery of ministerial status, but at the same time notes the low percentage of the State party’s budget allocated for implementing the National Gender Equality and Equity Plan 2007-2017. It also notes the absence of a monitoring system for assessing the results of the strategy. The Committee is further concerned about the possible merging of the Ministry of Women with other ministries, which would negatively affect the capacity of the State party to coordinate and implement public policies for the advancement of women. Lastly, it is concerned about the lack of resources to promote the involvement of women’s organizations in the implementation of programmes.

19. The Committee, recalling its general recommendation No. 6, on effective national machinery and publicity, and the guidance provided in the Beijing Platform for Action, in particular regarding the conditions necessary for the effective functioning of national machineries, recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen the human and technical resources of the Ministry of Women and ensure that its mandate to coordinate the implementation of public policies for the advancement of women is not weakened by restructuring;

(b) Ensure a periodic and sustained increase of the budget dedicated to the implementation of policies and laws relating to gender equality, including budgets for the functioning of gender committees at the local level;

(c) Strengthen the role of the Ministry of Women in coordinating the liaison teams on gender issues within governmental institutions so as to have results-based strategies for gender mainstreaming;

(d) Adopt measures to promote cooperation between public authorities and women ’ s non-governmental organizations in implementing public policies for the advancement of women and monitoring their impact, including by adopting participatory mechanisms and holding wide consultations with women when adopting strategies on gender equality.

Temporary special measures

20.The Committee recognizes the efforts made by the State party regarding temporary special measures, such as the adoption and enforcement of legislative quotas to ensure women’s representation in political life. At the same time, the Committee notes the lack of temporary special measures in other areas, such as employment or family relations, which would allow the State party to achieve substantive equality between women and men. In particular, it notes the absence of temporary special measures in public policies and the lack of indicators to assess the results of the gender mainstreaming strategy.

21. In line with the Committee ’ s general recommendation No. 25, on temporary special measures, the Committee urges the State party:

(a) To design and adopt temporary special measures to ensure de facto equality of women with men in the areas of education, employment and family relations, and include such measures in the National Development Strategy 2010-2030 and the 10-Year Education Plan 2008-2018;

(b) To consider mandating the Ministry of Women and other relevant offices to conduct periodic assessments of the effectiveness of the temporary special measures adopted.

Stereotypes and discriminatory practices

22.While the Committee appreciates the results of research carried out by the State party on the changes in cultural behaviour, it notes the persistence of a stereotyped division of gender roles in family and society, in addition to media attitudes that reinforce discriminatory messages on the sexual objectification of women and supposed male superiority. The Committee is specifically concerned about campaigns for promoting tourism that perpetuate discrimination against women and girls. The Committee expresses deep concern about the denial by the State party in respect of multiple forms of discrimination against women of Haitian origin, including racial and sex-based discrimination.

23. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to include in the National Gender Equality and Equity Plan 2007-2017 long-term strategies to identify and combat traditional stereotypes emphasizing child rearing and the family roles of women;

(b) Raise awareness among the media and the business sector, especially the tourism sector, about the need to stop using messages that discriminate against women;

(c) Promote public debate about the situation of women of Haitian origin living in the State party, with a view to fostering full respect for their human rights and raising awareness of their contributions to society.

Violence against women

24.The Committee notes with concern the high incidence of violence, including sexual and domestic violence, against women in the State party, bearing in mind the special vulnerability of young women and women with disabilities to different forms of violence. While noting the State party’s efforts to combat violence against women and to collect disaggregated data on such violence, the Committee expresses concern about the absence of a unified system and procedure to record reports of violence against women received by the Office of the Attorney General. The Committee welcomes the current amendment to the Criminal Code to criminalize “intimate femicide”; however, it remains concerned that other serious forms of violence against women have not been specifically criminalized. The Committee is also concerned about the limited number of prosecutions and convictions of perpetrators of violence against women; the high vulnerability of victims; and the lack of gender-sensitive procedures and protocols to assist women and girls who are victims of violence.

25. In accordance with its general recommendation No. 19, on violence against women, and the recommendations contained in its previous concluding observations ( A/59/38 , part two, para. 295), the Committee urges the State party:

(a) To develop, as a matter of priority, a national plan of action to prevent and combat violence against women and adopt a comprehensive law on violence against women that provides for risk assessments for victims, early warning mechanisms and awareness-raising about the various forms of violence against women, bearing in mind special needs in terms of accessibility of information for marginalized women and women with disabilities;

(b) To strengthen the judicial system in order to apply the law on violence against women and to provide measures to protect potential victims, including restraining orders against perpetrators;

(c) To adopt specific protocols to unify procedures for reporting cases of violence against women and create a database to compile and periodically update data on such violence;

(d) To amend the Criminal Code in order to criminalize all forms of violence against women;

(e) To ensure that women and girls, including women with disabilities, who are victims of violence have adequate access to medical, psychosocial and legal assistance and to victim and witness protection programmes.

Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution

26.While the Committee considers with appreciation the legal framework in place to combat trafficking and smuggling of persons, it is concerned about:

(a)The extent of trafficking in human beings, especially women and girls, in, from, to and in transit through the State party and the sexual exploitation of women and girls;

(b)The high risk of women of Haitian origin becoming victims of trafficking;

(c)The absence of effective measures to prevent trafficking, such as pre‑departure counselling for women migrants on the risks of trafficking, investigating and prosecuting cases of collusion of law enforcement officials with traffickers and smugglers and strengthening the referral mechanisms to identify and protect victims of trafficking, notwithstanding the State party’s efforts to raise awareness about trafficking and smuggling of persons;

(d)The lack of official data on trafficking of women and girls;

(e)The low number of prosecutions and convictions of perpetrators, notwithstanding the establishment of a specialized unit in the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute trafficking, smuggling, commercial and sexual exploitation and child labour;

(f)The prevalence of adolescent prostitution in the State party.

27. The Committee calls upon the State party:

(a) To strengthen efforts to provide protection, remedies and reparations for women victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and international agencies;

(b) To include, as part of its strategy to combat trafficking, measures to provide legal advice for women, including women of Haitian origin, and to strengthen oversight and the enforcement of sanctions for law enforcement officials involved in cases of trafficking;

(c) To devise a comprehensive system to collect gender-disaggregated data on trafficking in persons and smuggling;

(d) To ensure that traffickers and smugglers are prosecuted and adequately punished, by providing systematic training to judges, prosecutors and other law enforcement officials on the investigation and adjudication of cases of trafficking and smuggling, and increase the number of shelters for women victims of trafficking;

(e) To develop bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements with countries of origin and destination;

(f) To address the root causes of prostitution of women and girls in order to eliminate their vulnerability to sexual exploitation and ensure their rehabilitation and social reintegration.

Participation in political and public life

28.While noting the number of legal measures for strengthening the participation of women in political and public life, including the bill on political parties and the amendments to the Electoral Act aimed at achieving parity in elected offices, the Committee remains concerned about the underrepresentation of women in legislative bodies at the national and municipal levels, in the Cabinet and decision-making positions in the civil service, in political parties and at the international level. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of compliance by political parties and enforcement mechanism regarding the established quotas, and the continuing barriers hindering women’s participation, such as the prevailing machismo culture and the lack of resources and technical assistance and expertise available to women to stand as candidates on an equal basis with men.

29. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Continue to strengthen the legal framework and public policies to effectively implement quotas, including that of equal representation in elected and appointed bodies, including in decision-making positions;

(b) Allocate budgetary resources and provide technical advice for women candidates at the national and municipal levels;

(c) Introduce measures to monitor the application of quotas by political parties and implement appropriate sanctions for non-compliance.

Nationality

30.The Committee is deeply concerned that women of Haitian descent and their children are faced with great difficulties regarding the recognition or acquisition of Dominican nationality, which places them at risk of statelessness or of an uncertain residence status for prolonged periods. In particular, it notes that the definition of nationality in the Constitution (art. 18) and in Act No. 285-04 on migration and the practice according to Circular No. 17 and/or resolution 12 of the Central Electoral Board exclude women of Haitian descent and their children who cannot show proof of their Dominican nationality. The Committee is concerned that the exception to the jus soli principle relating to foreigners “in transit” is systematically applied in an excessively broad fashion even to women who have spent many years, if not their entire life, in the Dominican Republic and to migrant women without proof of regular status, and whose children therefore cannot receive Dominican nationality at birth. The Committee is deeply concerned about the implementation of the law by the Central Electoral Board that denies citizenship to women of Haitian descent and their children born in the Dominican Republic. It is further concerned at the difficulties faced by women in obtaining birth certificates for their children, which are necessary for exercising many rights. The Committee takes note of the plan for regularizing citizen status envisaged by the State party.

31. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Review the legal provisions on nationality and their implementation in respect of women of Haitian descent and their children;

(b) Remove all the obstacles for women of Haitian descent and women of uncertain status to obtaining birth certificates for their children, ensuring their access to all rights;

(c) Adopt a flexible procedure for regularizing the status of women of Haitian descent and their children, taking into account the length of their presence in the State party;

(d) Ensure that the Central Electoral Board guarantees due process of law in all review procedures regarding nationality and migration status.

Education

32.The Committee notes with appreciation the increasing access of women to all levels of education, although it recognizes that discriminatory and sexist practices persist in the education sector. It notes the persistence of traditional stereotypes discriminating against women and girls in textbooks at the primary level of education, the efforts to review and align them with the principle of non‑discrimination notwithstanding. The Committee regrets the lack of gender-disaggregated data and information about courses pursued by girls, and data on the access to education of refugee women, women of Haitian origin and their descendants and women and girls with disabilities. The Committee notes the absence of research and disaggregated statistics on dropout rates for girls and the situation of pregnant adolescents in schools and on measures to prevent girls leaving school early. It also expresses its concern about the lack of measures to provide inclusive education for girls and women with disabilities and about the persistence of gender bias in career choices for women.

(b) Conduct research and develop a system for collecting disaggregated information about the situation of women of Haitian descent, refugee women and women and girls with disabilities with regard to education;

(c) Adopt measures at the level of academic institutions to collect data on dropout rates in connection with teenage pregnancy and implement measures to protect girls from discriminatory practices on the basis of their nationality;

(d) Include, for adolescent girls and boys, age-appropriate education on sexual and reproductive rights in school curricula, including such issues as gender relations and responsible sexual behaviour, with the aim of preventing early pregnancies;

(e) Adopt temporary special measures to promote and facilitate the access of women to non-traditional fields of education and careers.

Employment

34.The Committee observes with concern the employment-related discrimination against women, in particular:

(a)High rates of unemployment among women and the wide gender wage gap, the increasing access of women to education notwithstanding;

(b)Sexual harassment of women in the workplace and the absence of effective remedies for victims;

(c)Discriminatory practices against pregnant women and women living with HIV/AIDS that prevent them from gaining access to jobs;

(d)Barriers faced by domestic workers in gaining access to social security;

(e)Limited opportunities for women and men to reconcile family and work life, including through the provision of childcare facilities;

(f)Exploitation of women of Haitian origin in sugar cane plantations, where they are at risk of being exposed to contemporary forms of slavery.

35. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Introduce specific measures, with time-bound targets and indicators, to create employment opportunities for women in the formal and informal sectors;

(b) Adopt measures to encourage women to opt for non-traditional occupational areas such as technical professions;

(c) Provide for effective remedies for victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, including through the adoption of the necessary legislation;

(d) Prohibit and prosecute compulsory pregnancy testing and HIV/AIDS testing as a condition of employment and establish a mechanism for monitoring the working conditions of women living with HIV/AIDS;

(e) Establish a mechanism for complaints and redress for pregnant women who are victims of discrimination in the workplace;

(f) Ensure that the amendments to the Labour Code include measures to prevent abuse and monitor the conditions of domestic workers;

(g) Expand and allocate adequate resources to childcare facilities throughout the State party and introduce flexible working hours for women and men in both the public and private sectors;

(h) Raise awareness among men and women about their equal family responsibilities and encourage men to participate equally in child rearing and household responsibilities;

(i) Monitor the working conditions in the agriculture sector, in particular in sugar cane plantations, with a view to preventing forced labour of women working in this sector and protecting their rights.

Health

36.While the Committee notes with appreciation the efforts made by the State party in the health sector by adopting the 10-Year Health Plan 2006-2015, it is concerned about:

(a)The high rate of maternal mortality;

(b)The economic barriers faced by women in gaining access to contraceptives, which are not included in the list of medicines provided at low cost under the Essential Medicines Programme/Logistical Support Centre (PROMESE/CAL);

(c)The extremely high level of use of voluntary sterilization as a method of contraception;

(d)The fact that the draft amendment to the Criminal Code, while decriminalizing abortion in cases in which the mother’s life is threatened, continues to criminalize abortion in other circumstances, such as rape, incest and serious malformation of the foetus;

(e)The high number of women, including young women, living with HIV/AIDS in the State party;

(f)Discrimination against women of Haitian origin in the health system and the duty of health-care providers to report their migration status to the immigration authorities;

(g)Discrimination against lesbian women, as reported to the Committee, which may prevent them from gaining access to sexual and reproductive health services.

37. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Adopt a plan to reduce maternal mortality, paying special attention to young women;

(b) Provide free or affordable access to family planning services and contraceptives for all women in order to reduce the use of voluntary sterilization as a method of contraception;

(c) Ensure that the draft amendment to the Criminal Code, which decriminalizes abortion in cases in which the mother ’ s life is threatened, will be expeditiously adopted and extended to cover other circumstances, such as rape, incest and serious malformation of the foetus, in line with the Committee ’ s general recommendation No. 24;

(d) Implement measures to prevent HIV/AIDS among women, paying particular attention to public information campaigns at the national and local levels, including by promoting awareness-raising campaigns on the role of men with regard to sexual and reproductive health;

(e) Ensure that migrant women and girls have effective access to health care, irrespective of their migration status;

(f) Ensure access to sexual and reproductive health by all women, including lesbians, without discrimination and avoiding any form of stigmatization.

Rural women

38.While the Committee notes the State party’s initiatives for women in rural areas, it is concerned about the limited access of women in such areas to land ownership. It is also concerned about the exploitation of women and girls in rural areas who work in the agriculture sector and the lack of a legislative framework to protect them. The Committee notes with concern that the State party’s poverty reduction strategy and policies for promoting entrepreneurship do not reach most women in rural areas. The Committee is concerned about the barriers faced by women in rural areas in gaining access to education and technologies.

39. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Adopt legislative measures to facilitate access by women in rural areas to land ownership and ensure their recognition as landowners;

(b) Ensure that poverty reduction and income-generating strategies include specific provisions and targets relating to women in rural areas;

(c) Ensure access by women and girls in rural areas to education and technological progress and its applications.

Women of Haitian origin

40.The Committee is deeply concerned about the multiple forms of discrimination against women of Haitian descent in the State party, which limit their enjoyment of the rights to nationality, education, employment and health. The Committee regrets that the State party provided no disaggregated information on the situation of women of Haitian origin living in its territory and has not considered the adoption of appropriate measures to protect the rights of such women.

41. The Committee urges the State party:

(a) To conduct research to determine the enjoyment of human rights by women of Haitian origin in the State party;

(b) To collect disaggregated data on the situation of women of Haitian origin facing multiple forms of discrimination;

(c) To identify, with the assistance of international organizations, good practices aimed at eradicating the multiple forms of discrimination faced by women of Haitian origin.

Marriage and family relations

42.While noting that the revision of the Civil Code strengthened some rights of women in relation to dissolution of marriage, the Committee is concerned that the Code establishes a nine-month period during which divorced women, unlike divorced men, may not remarry. The Committee also expresses concern about the legal minimum age of marriage, which remains at 15 years for girls, while it is 18 years for men under the Code.

43. The Committee recommends that the State party amend its Civil Code to remove the discrimination prevailing between women and men regarding waiting periods to remarry, in line with the Convention and the Committee ’ s general recommendation No. 29, on the economic consequences of marriage, family relations and their dissolution. It also recommends that the State party raise the legal minimum age of marriage for women to 18 years and adopt effective measures to prevent early marriages.

Amendment to article 20 (1) of the Convention

44. The Committee encourages the State party to proceed with the acceptance of the amendment to article 20 (1) of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

45. The Committee calls upon the State party to use the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in its efforts to implement the provisions of the Convention.

Millennium Development Goals and the post-2015 development framework

46. The Committee calls for the integration of a gender perspective, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, into all efforts aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals and into the post-2015 development framework.

Dissemination and implementation

47. The Committee recalls the obligation of the State party to systematically and continuously implement the provisions of the Convention. It urges the State party to give priority attention to the implementation of the present concluding observations and recommendations between now and the submission of the next periodic report. The Committee therefore requests the timely dissemination of the concluding observations, in the official language of the State party, to the relevant State institutions at all levels (national, regional, local), in particular to the Government, the ministries, the National Congress and the judiciary, to enable their full implementation. It encourages the State party to collaborate with all stakeholders concerned, such as employers ’ associations, trade unions, human rights and women ’ s organizations, universities and research institutions, the media and so forth. It further recommends that its concluding observations be disseminated in an appropriate form at the local community level, so as to enable their implementation. In addition, the Committee requests the State party to continue to disseminate the Convention, the Optional Protocol thereto, jurisprudence and the Committee ’ s general recommendations to all stakeholders.

Ratification of other treaties

48. The Committee notes that the adherence of the State party to the nine major international human rights instruments would enhance the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. The Committee therefore encourages the State party to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, namely, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Follow-up to the concluding observations

49. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, written information on the steps taken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 25 (a), (b), (e) and 35 (b), (c), (d), (g) and (h) above.

Preparation of the next report

50. The Committee invites the State party to submit its eighth periodic report by July 2017.

51. The Committee requests the State party to follow the harmonized guidelines on reporting under the international human rights treaties, including guidelines on a common core document and treaty-specific documents ( HRI/MC/2006/3 and Corr.1).